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Warriors FC failed to beat Balestier Khalsa for the third time this season on Thursday after both sides played out a 1-1 draw in the S.League.

Entering the game at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium missing leading scorers Nicolas Velez and Miroslav Pejic, who had combined for 22 of their 30 goals prior to the match, many expected the Warriors to struggle up front against a side with one of the league’s best defensive record.

However, the hosts showed they had no such problems as they took the lead in the 27th minute when Shi Jiayi climbed highest inside the box to head Daniel Bennett’s freekick past a hapless Zaiful Nizam.

But a minute before the hour mark, Balestier went on to claim a share of the spoils as Zulkiffli Hassim pounced on a poor clearance by Zulfadhli Emran and fired away a shot that squeezed in at Hassan Sunny’s near post.

The result continued Warriors’ poor record against the Tigers this season given they drew their first encounter in the league back in March, before falling to a 3-1 defeat in last month’s Singapore Cup opening round clash.

Although the point was enough to take Alex Weaver’s charges up to second on the table and level on points with leaders DPMM FC, both the Bruneian outfit and third-place Home United – who are just a point behind – have a game in hand.

Over at the Queenstown Stadium, Tanjong Pagar United’s resurgence continued as they made it two wins in a row with a 3-0 victory over Courts Young Lions.

The Jaguars took the lead after 17 minutes when Ruzaini Zainal played a searching cross from the right that was fumbled by opposition keeper Syazwan Buhari into his own net.

Tanjong Pagar then doubled their lead in the 61st minute as Kamel Ramdani claimed his second goal of the campaign; meeting Sebastien Etiemble’s freekick at the near post and heading home.

And four minutes later, the three points were secured as they added a third when Etiemble emerged as the creator once more after playing in a low cross from the left that evaded the entire Young Lions defence and Syazwan, leaving Monsef Zerka with a simple tap-in.